Eco-Feminism, New Materialism and Ecological Theology
Instructor(s): Koster, Hilda P.
Course Code: 
SMT5604HS
Semester: 
Second Semester
Section: 
0101
Online: 
No
Credits: 
One Credit
Location: 
Toronto (St George Campus)
Description: 

Eco-feminism and New Materialism offer two intersecting theoretical and activist movements addressing our current planetary crisis as it is marked by climate change, rapid degradations of eco-system, and ecological injustices. Both movements construct alternatives to western philosophical hierarchical dualisms such as mind and body, theory and practice, or the value of transcendence or mind/spirit over immanence and body/earth by revaluing the agency of other-than-human matter. New materialism is a relatively new movement and seeks to displace human privilege by attending to the agency of matter itself, especially other-than-human matter. Discoveries in quantum physics, the advances in complexity, chaos, emergence, and systems theories, as well as crucial environmental concerns like climate change have impressed upon scholars a profound sense that the material world is not dead, passive, or inert, but vital, animated, and even agential. This course studies these important movements in conversation with ecofeminist theology and ecological theology. The attention to ecofeminist thought is key because in analyzing the ways western thinkers have shaped a sense of matter as feminized, passive, or inert, New Materialism and (feminist) theological responses to our planetary emergency (most notably climate change) are relying on ecofeminist methodologies and analyses.

Pre-Requisites Currently Offered Next Scheduled Previously Offered Scheduling Information
Winter 2023
Winter 2021
Start Time: 
9:00
End Time: 
11:00
Hours per Week: 
2
Schedule: 
Thu
Minimum: 
10
Maximum: 
20
Teaching Method: 
Lectures
Seminars
Workshop
Readings
Means of Evaluation: 
Class Participation
Research Paper
Book Review
Short Paper